The present invention relates to the field of user interfaces and communication applications and, more particularly, to an abbreviated user interface for instant messaging (or other type of communication) to minimize active window focus changes.
A graphical user interface desktop can be a busy interactive space acting as a hub for human-to-machine interactions. This is especially true for multitasking environments, where a human user often has multiple windows open concurrently. For example, it is common to have a word processing window, a communication window, and a browser window open, where a user is simultaneously interacting across the different windows. This situation can be even more dynamic for large collaboration efforts where users use one or more means to communicate with others while accessing programs and data needed for the communication sessions.
In this environment, users engaging in instant messaging (IM), chatting, teleconferencing, and other computer-assisted communication means are often constantly toggling between one application and another. Another option is to minimize an IM window when working within a different application and restoring the IM window to read and respond to an IM message. A constant process requiring minimizing/restoring or toggling can be distracting to users and can decrease the overall user experience.